Monday, May 26, 2008

Twenty-nine years ago I married my Very Best Friend Forever! We had a large wedding -250 guests.

Oddly enough, that week was the beginning of The Energy Crisis and a few of our guests couldn't make the trip to Chicago for our wedding. Gas just went over $1/gallon and the cost was prohibitive. Oh, to have that problem these days

The church where we were married, St. Attracta's in Cicero, IL is no longer there. I wish I had more photos of the altar area, It was such a beautiful mosaic. I didn't want the ceremony disturbed and so instructed the photographer. I wish we had gone back in for photos. It was not possible, though, since our ceremony was at 3:30 PM and there was the five o'clock regular Mass right after.

Directly after the ceremony we headed back to my Mother's house for cold cuts and salads. All the cold cuts were donated by the butcher shop which was behind our house. Pat had known me since I was 6 and this was his gift to me. That was back in the days where you shopped locally and since we shared the alley with one of the main drags in town, it was REALLY local.

At 6 we headed to The Sabre Room in Hickory Hills IL. Ours was the first wedding held in the new addition. Just beautiful in there! At that time, many bridal couples left their reception early to start the Honeymoon. Not us! This was the biggest party we were ever going to throw and I was not going to miss one second of it. We didn;t have plans to go away, anyhow. We had decided to buy a stereo system instead. Had we gone away, I'd have only pictures. I still have that system!

Mark played 2/3 of the Reception with the Band and I circulated the room. This was not so different from what our lives were going to be anyway. It was the first time many of his relatives had heard him play.

The marriage is good and strong. To me, it's because of an old adage from my Father. One of the few he gave me:

Never lay your head on your pillow while angry. Stay up all night, if you must, but never sleep on anger! It seems to have worked

My dress is still in a keepsake box, under my bed. Someday, it will be a Christening quilt for my first Grandchild. I'm fairly certain Robin will never wear it as I was considerably shorter than she is. I'm even shorter now (what's up with that anyway?)

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

I have been so so bad about blogging. No excuses, just feeling fragmented, I guess

I'm back from Arizona and the first few days were beautiful back home. It's cold and rainy again. Come on! It's May already.. I want to be warm.

We had an awesome visit in Queen Creek, AZ Here's a photo of my brother, Dan and me

and one of my brother Tom

These pictures were taken out in "the cabana". My sister in law Donna and her dear friend Sharei have a knack for going through thrift stores and just finding the BEST things. They have made a normal ten by ten tent type cabana into Marakesh! Just by hanging old sheer curtains and then loading it up with brass and velvet pillows etc. Here's a photo of the two of them.

The weather was wonderful, needless to say. I think what I like best about AZ is the consistency in the weather. Some might find that boring, but I like knowing that the weather is not going to turn during the course of the day.

One more pic - My brother Tom and my nephew Ledain

Now THAT is some scenery!

Ah well, it's just not meant to be at this time, but it will happen when TPTB decide it's time. Meanwhile, we wait. I need to become happy here in central OH. About time, don't you think - after 8 years?

Quilting wise? Not too much happening that shows on the surface. I've been working on my Starlights quilt. It's all cut and I have spent the past week and a half putting corner squares on rectangles. 320 OF THEM?! Pretty boring, but once that part is done I can just lay out all the pieces. Then it will feel like the top went together really fast.

The frame is now set up, just have to get the gumption to load some practice muslin and batting on it and start. Maybe by the end of the week.